The Science Council of Canada sponsored a mathematics education conference at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, in September 1977. Thirty mathematicians and mathematics educators from across Canada accepted an invitation to join the three organisers of the conference (Professors A. J. Coleman and W. C. Higginson of Queen’s University, and D. H. Wheeler of Concordia University, Montreal) in discussing the general theme: “Educating teachers of mathematics: the universities’ responsibility.” The encounter generated a demand from many of the participants for further opportunities to meet and talk. The Science Council supported a second invitational meeting in June 1978 at which the decision was taken to establish a continuing group, to be called the CANADIAN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION STUDY GROUP / GROUPE CANADIEN D’ÉTUDE EN DIDACTIQUE DES MATHÉMATIQUES (CMESG/ GCEDM).